By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BOSSIER CITY – A Louisiana Baptist attorney has started a non-profit legal ministry to defend faith and freedom in the state and beyond. Since its launch in March, Freedom Guard’s team has been involved in a number of high profile cases to safeguard religious liberty and traditional family values. Mike Johnson, chief counsel for the organization based out of Bossier City, is a nationally recognized constitutional law attorney who said the new organization was begun out of necessity. He said far too few organizations exist to adequately defend against today’s countless challenges to our freedoms. “It seems that everyone recognizes now that the hour is late, and the crisis is great in the culture,” said Johnson, a member of First Baptist Bossier City. “The challenges we are facing today—to the basic ability to live out and share our faith—are unprecedented. But our God is great, the Constitution is still on our side, and we can still win these critical battles.” When Johnson announced the formation of Freedom Guard to a gathering of pastors and conservative leaders following the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast in March, Freedom Guard was already working on its first cases. In June, Johnson … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications ALEXANDRIA – The Louisiana Baptist Foundation met and conducted a mild day of business for its regular quarterly Trustees meeting at the end of July. LBF investment consultant Lee Morris with Graystone Consulting (a Morgan Stanley company) presented his report to the Investment Committee to begin the day. Investment performance was reviewed through the second quarter. Equities turned in better performance in the second quarter after a slow start to the year. Following the guidelines of the Morgan Stanley Global Investment Committee (GIC), the domestic equity allocation is equally weighted between growth and value stocks as the US is in late stage recovery. The international equity allocation is more weighted to value stocks as most of the economies are in the earlier stages of recovery. Fixed income was positive for the quarter and YTD as interest rates dropped from the higher levels experienced the end of 2013.  For the year fixed portfolios have performed better that expected. The “tactical” portion of the portfolio (a mix of small percentages invested in master limited partnerships, preferred stocks, convertible securities, etc.) once again added value to the overall portfolio … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 08/08/2014 - 11:24 By Staff, World News Magazine NEWTON, IA – An Iowa newspaper editor is claiming his former employer fired him because of his biblical beliefs about sexuality. Bob Eschliman, the former editor-in-chief of the Newton Daily News, filed an official discrimination charge on July 24 with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). “No American – especially people in the journalism field – should be fired simply for expressing their religious beliefs,” said Jeremiah Dys, senior counsel for the Liberty Institute, a nonprofit legal group representing Eschliman. Eschliman, a Christian, took to his personal blog in April to lambast the Queen James Bible, a revision put forward by gay activists. The activist editors say Greek and Hebrew passages on homosexuality either refer to pagan rituals or promiscuity. “We edited those eight verses in a way that makes homophobic interpretations impossible,” the editors say. Trumpeting a Dinosaur Horn A few miles outside Glendive, Montana, on May 12, 2012, three researchers were hunting fossils scattered in the Hell Creek Formation, a geological trove for dinosaur bones. After paying the landowner $3,000 for one fossil, … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 08/25/2014 - 10:15 Kyle Williams of First Baptist Bossier witnesses to a young Brazilian woman in the park in Montes Claros, Brazil. A group of 115 men and women spent 11 days on mission in Brazil as part of 30th annual Louisiana Baptist led evangelism outreach in that country. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MONTES CLAROS, Brazil – A record number of decisions made for Christ in the 30th year of an annual mission trip to Brazil saw the group of 115 do more with less. “Only one other time when we had had almost 200 go on the trip did we see right at 5,000 saved,” said Wayne Jenkins, evangelism and church growth director for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “This year our theme was do more with less. God did more with less this time.” The majority of the work for one of the largest Louisiana Baptist-led partnership evangelism efforts took place in Montes Claros, a city of 450,000 people in the state of Minas Gerias. While there, the team participated in street evangelism, Vacation Bible Schools, drama, medical, dental and eye clinics, cooking demonstration classes, sports clinics, deaf work and construction of three chapels. By the end of the group’s 11-day missions experience, … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 08/25/2014 - 10:17 The Clothes Closet at Life Point Church in Mansura, where Jacob Crawford is pastor, is one of many compassion ministries operated by Louisiana Baptist churches and associations. Without resources from the Georgia Barnette Offering for State Missions, some of these ministries would not be possible. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MANSURA – Robert Davis was a college graduate working his way up the ladder in the hospitality industry until he lost everything to a drug addiction. Given a choice by a judge to either spend six months in a state prison or perform community service at Life Point Community Church’s clothes closet to gain his freedom, Davis picked the latter – a choice that would not only set him free from an earthly sentence but an eternal one as well. Though his initial plan was to just get through the service, Davis along the way found Jesus. And his life has never been the same. “For an entire week Robert folded clothes, he hauled out garbage bags of clothes and something began to stir in Robert’s heart,” said Jacob Crawford, pastor of Life Point. Davis said soon, the community service wasn’t his main interest. He began attending Life Point’s … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 08/25/2014 - 10:18 Julianna Schober (pictured right) recently won second place for Youth Division Bible Drill at the 2014 National Invitational Tournament in Helen, Ga. Participants from 12 state conventions showcased their speaking and Bible skills at First Baptist Church in Helen, Ga. Schober is a member of Heritage Baptist Church in Shreveport. Photo courtesy of Georgia Baptist Convention. Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 08/25/2014 - 10:21 Mark Jones, children’s pastor of Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Okla., holds a cow tongue for a youngster to touch during a game at PreTeen Invasion at Temple Baptist Church in Ruston on Aug. 16. Jones was the main speaker for the one-day evangelism conference for fourth through sixth grade students at Temple Baptist and the following Saturday at First Baptist Lafayette. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer RUSTON – Of the hidden traps that exist today among pre-teens, the tongue is among the most damaging. “The very same mouth that sings praises to God can bring harm to other people,” said Mark Jones, children’s pastor of Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Okla. “And we must be very, very careful. I want to challenge you about the hidden traps of your words.” Jones comments came during the Louisiana Baptist PreTeen Invasion, a one-day evangelism conference that drew 610 fourth to sixth grade students at Temple Baptist Church in Ruston. Throughout the course of the day Jones challenged the youngsters with life lessons, such as to speak only positive comments and stand strong in the midst of adversity. Citing Matthew 12:34, Jones said … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 08/25/2014 - 10:23 Former Louisiana College President Joe Aguillard By Kelly Boggs, Message Editor PINEVILLE – Joe Aguillard, former president of Louisiana College, recently contacted the Baptist Message to inform the publication a judge agreed with a motion, filed by Aguillard, that he be dismissed from a lawsuit filed by Timothy “Tim” Johnson, a former LC vice-president. Johnson’s lawsuit was filed on March 11 in the 9th District Court in Alexandria. The suit named both Aguillard and LC as defendants. The suit alleges that Aguillard misled the LC board concerning a $10-million donation for a building to be built on the Pineville campus. In the lawsuit Johnson maintains Aguillard was aware money for the construction of the facility would not be forthcoming but led the board to believe the funding was intact. Johnson’s lawsuit also alleges that Aguillard improperly used funds designated for LC’s Caskey School of Divinity for projects related to LC Tanzania, an educational initiative unrelated to the divinity school. As a result of the alleged deceptions, Johnson’s suit indicates he filed a whistle-blower complaint, per LC’s policies, against Aguillard, “On or about Dec. 9, 2012.” The … [Read more...]

By Kelly Boggs, Message Editor Unless you have been vacationing somewhere in the Tibetan Plateau region of East Asia, you are more than likely aware of the suicide of Robin Williams. The comedian/actor took his own life Aug. 11 at his home in Marin County, Calif. Almost from the moment Williams’ death was announced media talking-heads began to parse the circumstances of his suicide. Speculation has been rampant as to how the man who made millions smile could despair enough to take his own life. Conjecture concerning William’s suicide has run the gamut from depression and debt to addiction and illness. It has been reported he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, a progressive neurological disorder that afflicts movement, balance, and speech. Williams’ wife issued a written statement. A portion of the statement said: “Robin’s sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson’s disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly. “It is our hope in the wake of Robin’s tragic passing that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid.” At the … [Read more...]

James B. Law, Pastor First Baptist Church Gonzales On a cold November night in the early days of my ministry, I received a panicked call from a family in the church I pastored. The request in between sobs was simple, “Come now.” As I raced to their home and pulled into their driveway, I was stunned by the sight of a young man who had hanged himself in the family barn. The young man had been residing in their home to attend a local community college, and for a reason unknown to anyone decided on that day to end it all. I sought to comfort the family as they tried to process this tragedy and found myself praying for his parents who were coming from out-of-town to the scene of their son’s death. I was asked to preach the funeral. It was a tough assignment and became a refining moment for me as a young pastor. In the crucible of such suffering, the call to gospel ministry is not a call to be clever, but to be faithful. The need was not a multiplicity of words or empty phrases devoid of substance, but compassion coupled with sturdy truth and steadfast promises found in Christ alone. In the struggle to communicate compassion, truth, and hope at this funeral, I was gripped by a conversation between Jesus and his disciples found … [Read more...]